Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Pets

Join our community on the Pet forum to discuss anything related to pets.

Original poster

Help! Either the fleas go or the cat gets it...

71 replies

aloha · 05/10/2005 21:31

We are absolutely plagued with fleas. had them in our old house and now we've moved we are infested again. Poor ds has horribly bitten legs (so do I) and I've picked them out of dd's hair (ugh!). Dh absolutely hates it. Says it makes him feel unclean. He now is very, very keen to get rid of the cat. The cat, admittedly, is remarkably stupid and unfriendly, but the children like having a pet (even a very unsatisfactory one) around. I know if we get rid of this cat dh will not countenance having another pet, and I would like the children to have a pet. We have sprayed the carpets repeatedly with horrible toxic chemicals, hoover (admittedly only once a week but I can't do more, I just can't) and the cat has a flea collar. We did the drops thing on her before but it made no difference. Are some cats just particularly flea-ey or something?

OP posts:
happymerryberries · 05/10/2005 21:32

See the vet as the can prescribe things that are stronger than the stuff you can buy OTC. Not cheap tho!

Original poster
aloha · 05/10/2005 21:33

Really? The vet can do something with the cat?

OP posts:
iota · 05/10/2005 21:34

flea collars are useless -- they don't protect the whole cat - you need Program or something similar. Have you consulted the vet about it - we got some great stuff for the house when our cat had fleas - VetKem or something.

gigglinggoblin · 05/10/2005 21:34

might be that your carpets are infested so getting rid of the cat would make no difference. my mum owns a house which is empty but became infested with fleas when the weather got warmer. think my cats may have left them there last year call your council they will deflea your house fairly cheaply. then make sure you do the cat at the same time

iota · 05/10/2005 21:34

X post with HMB

Original poster
aloha · 05/10/2005 21:36

Never even thought of the vet.

OP posts:
tissy · 05/10/2005 21:38

definitely see the vet- the stuff they have is much better than the drops you can get over the counter. It cured our cat, and once they don't have a host to reproduce on they don't survive in the house much longer.

Think the stuff we had was called Frontline, but that may have been the worm treatment (give me fleas any day over a cat wandering about the house with an 8 inch tapeworm hanging out of it's bottom- YEUCHHHHHH!)

happymerryberries · 05/10/2005 21:39

The vet can do a lot with the cat, but I'm assuming you want to keep it

They can give you prescription strenth sprays for the carpet and some amazing drops that stop the fleas from reproducing!

If the infestation in the carpet is too bad for that to sort it you migh want to talk to rentokill. We had a bad infestation and the stuff from the vet sorted it.

tissy · 05/10/2005 21:39

OK, so GG is implying that cat fleas can reproduce in carpets- not sure now- I thought they couldn't- one to ask the vet about definitely.

Original poster
aloha · 05/10/2005 21:40

They are revolting but the tapeworm thing is actually quite upsetting!
If dh gets wind that the cat is going to the vets I'm worried about what he might do... he really doesn't like that animal..

OP posts:
jamiesam · 05/10/2005 21:44

Highly recommend Frontline - bought over the counter from our vets, I believe they could prescribe or sell something even stronger if necessary.

iota · 05/10/2005 21:45

loads of info on the net here's one I googled earlier tells you all about Frontline and Program

fleahater · 05/10/2005 21:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
aloha · 05/10/2005 21:52

Thanks for that. Can I only get Program from the vet? Have to admit I HATE spraying these chemicals in my house. DD is only 8months old.

OP posts:
happymerryberries · 05/10/2005 21:53

The program will break the cycle of fleas breeding if used. I am fairly sure you can only get it from the vet.

Original poster
aloha · 05/10/2005 21:53

Dh wants to go pet-free! I had a cat around as a kid and it seems sort of normal to me to have an animal in the house...but the fleas are disgusting and poor ds get bitten to ribbons.

OP posts:
chicagomum · 05/10/2005 21:55

We had this problem last year even with the cats on program, ended up ripping up the carpets and putting in wooded floors after spending a fortune on bug bombs, shake "n" vac type powders sprays (both for house and furniture) etc etc it was a nightmare.

Original poster
aloha · 05/10/2005 21:56

Um, that last post was a bit depressing actually

OP posts:
chicagomum · 05/10/2005 21:59

I know believe me we where pretty depressed all summer plus the cost of new floors, was just saying that sometimes the problem is so bad that chemicals etc won't clear it.

iota · 05/10/2005 22:00

well I've had cats for 15 yrs and have never had a big flea problem -- at the first sign we use Frontline and that seems to take care of it - have used the vetkem once about 7 yrs ago when my 2 new kittens had fleas and haven't needed to since.

Can't remember the last time my cat had fleas it must have been about 4 years ago.

A visit to the vet will sort it all out for you

iota · 05/10/2005 22:02

sorry chigagomum -- not trying to starrt a fight - just trying to give aloha hope

fleahater · 05/10/2005 22:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

chicagomum · 05/10/2005 22:04

No problem,I couldn't believe we couldn't sort it either (think we were very unlucky). I'm sure aloha will get her's sorted. Mind you tbh I hated the carpet and love my wooden floors

Original poster
aloha · 05/10/2005 22:05

But we DO do something! We fill the house with noxious chemicals, rub things on the cat, fit a collar... all to no apparent effect. It's the vets for me though now.

OP posts:
Original poster
aloha · 05/10/2005 22:05

I do wish she wasn't such a dimwitted, anti-social tabby though. It makes it hard to put up a spirited defence against dh.

OP posts: